ROMP, Departure from Venus, 2016

Album Review

Sometimes I feel like I may not be the target audience for some of the music I listen to. I read that super-depressing article a while back that said the listening preferences of most people become locked in amber by around the age of 32. There was a short period like that for me, say, from age 32 to age 34. It didn't last, though. I eventually started digging for new sounds again. And, as I get on in years, that means that I come across more and more music made by people young enough to be my kids.

The thing is, though, I think one of the reasons that people's musical tastes freeze is that -- no matter how old you get -- you remain basically the same person after a point. As you get more skilled at navigating the world, you learn to bottle up or hide certain feelings that still percolate in your forever-20-something brain. You may even lose the ability to relate to those feelings when they're expressed by people living them right now, but a good song -- one that gets you repeating a phrase over and over as you sing along, for example -- can remind you of some of that stuff. For just a few moments, you can be in touch with your forever-20-something self.

I got a little bit of that when I stumbled across ROMP's first single, "Portrait," in late 2014. The song contained just enough of a callback to some of the power-pop alt-rock that I was listening to in my 20s that it hooked me and dragged me into the post-breakup world of lead singer Madison Klarer and the rest of ROMP. Departure from Venus, ROMP's first full-length, continues and expands on what the band did with "Portrait" and the rest of the band's 2014/15 Sorry, Not Sorry EP.

"Backfire" opens with Klarer's unique mix of deadpanning and belting over the aggressive guitar work of Lucas Dalakian. Keys and some quirky guitar flourishes add some sweetness as Klarer sings of the comfort to be found in familiarity. The title track gives us the flipside of familiarity as a relationship becomes stifling and mundane. Again, Dalakian and bassist Chris Beninato keep things on the edge of bursting; while the twinkle of Klarer's keyboard adds a hint of twee.

There's no real hint of sweetness in "Get Off the Scale," as Klarer screams "I hate you!" over pummeling guitars and wailing keys. Three songs in and we've gotten the entire roller coaster of emotions that come with navigating relationships in young adulthood -- all-consuming euphoria, comforting routine, waning interest, boredom, jealousy, anger. Been there.

It's back to power-pop with single "Last Year" and "Come Undone." The latter is literally and figuratively the album's centerpiece, combining quiet moments that build to epic crescendos with Klarer's insecurities. "Please notice me!" she screams while lying on the bathroom floor.

"Naner Manor" goes out on a group vocal that sounds like it could be happening in that New Brunswick basement. Klarer's declaration that "This is gonna be a great fucking day!" gets more and more emphatic as "Avoiding Boys" goes on, and it sounds like she believes it. She channels Liz Phair early on "Go Back to Bed" before things ratchet up again as she screams, "I miss you!!" over the din. "Yapshutter" stands as a kind of bow wrapping things up. "If you only had some guts, if you somehow stood up, we could have had our own happy end!"

Departure from Venus pokes and prods at a lot of those things I felt before CoolMom and I figured out how to make our way in the world together. A lot of that comes down to the straightforwardness of Klarer's songwriting, the endearing sincerity and occasional imperfection in her voice, Dalakian's wild guitar explorations, and the overall sequencing of the album. For me, it's kind of like waking up from that dream where I haven't gone to some class all semester. It feels pretty real while it's happening; but, when I wake up, I realize that I haven't had to worry about that for a while now. Always a relief.

Departure from Venus is out now on Bad Timing Records.

Mothers Played Wonder Bar with AMFMS, ROMP, and Yawn Mower, 1/28/16

Mothers' Kristine Leschper

There's No Crying in Baseball

Have you gotten tired yet of reading about how sad I am that Asbury Lanes is closed? Well, last night's show at Wonder Bar gave me hope that maybe -- just maybe -- a certain type of touring band may still consider making a stop in Asbury Park. That type of band is a band just on the cusp of greater notoriety, a band doing something a little different than everyone else, a band with a growing and devoted following but not quite enough of a following to pack out a larger venue yet. A band like Mothers from Athens, Georgia.

This is a bit of a cheat, though. Asbury Park and Mothers may have looked right past each other, never giving each other a second thought, if it weren't for Asbury Lanes. Mothers were the opener for Of Montreal back in August when that band played Asbury Lanes. I don't think anyone knew what to expect from Mothers back then, and many of us were blown away. When I saw the show pop up on Wonder Bar's event page this time around, I knew I'd be there, especially with New Jersey's ROMP and Yawn Mower as part of the bill along with Mothers' touring companions, AMFMS.

I had to check out CoolDaughter 2's school SciVention Convention before heading down to Asbury Park, so I walked in when Yawn Mower were about halfway through their set. They're a fun duo and last night was no exception. They dabble in everything from surf to garage to indie rock to pop. Yawn Mower always throw in a few covers, and the hair (both natural and artificial) flies during their set.

Yawn Mower gave way to ROMP, a band riding the wave of excitement generated by that day's premiere of single "Last Year" over at Brooklyn Vegan. This was ROMP's first trip to Wonder Bar. It had been a while since I'd seen them live; and the intervening months of recording, touring, and playing have really tightened (ha!) them up. New drummer Mike Linardi (formerly of Deal Casino) was a force of nature, and the rest of the band were their usual combination of sweetness and badassery. It was fun to sing along again to "Drive" and "Portrait," and the new songs show some real growth.

AMFMS were totally new to me. Lead singer Shawn Kyle introduced the band as being from Baltimore, Annapolis, LA,... ...I think Salt Lake City got a mention. Wherever they're from, they laid it all out onstage, delivering a set that ranged from garage rock to glam to something a little more epic. The band straddled the line between gritty and polished, and the amount of care and preparation they put into their set was just as obvious as the amount of blood and sweat they let fly during the performance. AMFMS are almost a straight-ahead rock band, but they mix that in with something a little bit left-of-center that makes me think we'll be hearing more from them.

Three bands in, and it wasn't even 10pm. Mothers took the stage and went straight from soundchecking / tuning into the set. The chiming guitars of Kristine Leschper and Drew Kirby are a sharp contrast to the rhythm section of Matthew Anderegg (drums) and Patrick Morales (bass). Together, they create something like a combination between shoegaze and prog with Leschper's vocals cutting through everything. The band covered Devo's "Gut Feeling," delivered their own version of a "holocaust section" during "Fat Chance," and closed with the mesmerizing "No Crying in Baseball."

I recognized a lot of familiar faces from the Lanes at last night's show. Some people were even sporting Mothers merch they'd grabbed back in August. I'm glad that Asbury Lanes introduced us all, and I'm glad that Wonder Bar hosted the reunion. Mothers are set to take off when their LP comes out next month and gets a whole bunch of accolades. I hope the next band like them notices Asbury Park when planning the East Coast portion of their tour and comes to meet us all.

You can check out pictures from all of last night's sets by clicking through the links below.

Mothers

AMFMS

ROMP

Yawn Mower

Cayetana Played Asbury Lanes w/ Chumped, Worriers, Thin Lips, and ROMP, 8/13/15 (PHOTOS)

Philadelphia's Cayetana were back at Asbury Lanes.

Five Spot

I'm gonna be straight with you. Sometimes, I see five-band bills; and I'm like, "Really?? C'mon." CoolMom always makes fun of me for how early I get to shows; but I've always felt that, if you're in, you've gotta be in for the whole thing. There's definitely a little "for better or for worse" aspect to that sometimes. I had absolutely no reservations about last night's five-band lineup, though.

Top to bottom -- Cayetana, Chumped, Worriers, Thin Lips, ROMP -- last night's show was either bands I'd seen several times and loved (Cayetana, Worriers, ROMP) or bands who came highly recommended from people I trust (Thin Lips, Chumped). Top to bottom, nobody disappointed.

ROMP have tightened up (ha!) considerably since I first saw them this past winter. Lucas Dalakian is still non-stop motion on stage; and, last night, he was playing a vintage 1968 Mustang that looked pretty damn cool.

Thin Lips were without their bass player, but still managed to impress. They brought a version of pop punk that kept reminding me of their City of Brotherly Love brethren Swearin', who I love.

This was my third or fourth time seeing Worriers, and I'm becoming a bigger and bigger fan of their sing along political pop punk anthems. The band are touring in support of their recently-released and Laura Jane Grace-produced Imaginary Life. I've spent a lot of time with that record over the last several days, and the songs had just as much punch live.

New York's Chumped are a band I've heard a lot about over the last year or so, but never actually heard. I've, apparently, been missing a great deal because their set last night kind of blew me away. They live somewhere in the spaces between 1990s indie rock and pop punk. I even heard them getting a little shoegazy at times, which -- obviously -- works for me. Singer / guitarist Anika Pyle has a warm personality and appeared genuinely moved by the crowd and by the opportunity to tour with the other bands on the bill.

I first saw Cayetana on singer / guitarist Augusta Koch's birthday at Asbury Lanes back in 2013. The band played that night with Laura Stevenson and our friends in Dentist and Paper Streets. I was immediately a fan. Their 2014 Nervous Like Me is a favorite of mine, and all the honesty and emotion on that record comes across during the band's live show. Like the other bands before them, Cayetana seemed pleasantly taken aback by the response they got at Asbury Lanes. They peppered a few new songs into their set, and I'm excited to hear their next effort.

No matter how you slice it, five bands makes for a long evening. It was a long evening, though, of getting to chat up some of the artists I've admired for a while now between sets of great music. It went by effortlessly; and, when Cayetana announced their last song, I couldn't believe it was already over.

Here are some highlights from all of the sets. Head over to Flickr for the rest of the pics.

2 Days. 9 Bands. Lots of Really Good Music. 6/19-6/20/15

dollys released 'Oh, Please' at Court Tavern on Friday night.

Just the Pix

It's Father's Day, so I'm not going to do a big post recapping all the bands I saw on Friday and Saturday nights. Let's just say that everyone turned in really good sets, and you should check them all out via their social media pages and Bandcamps. There was a pretty wide variety, so there's bound to be something you'll dig. The lighting was unusually good over the last two nights, and I think I got some nice shots.

Special shouts out to dollys for putting out such a truly great record and to Dentist for just being great friends and drinking buddies.

Also, raise a glass today to all the cooldads -- those still with us and those watching over us from somewhere else.

Court Tavern, 6/19

The Vaughns

ROMP

Deal Casino

dollys

Rocky Catanese and The Chapter

Wonder Bar, 6/20

Ba Babes

The Villanelles

Dentist

Long Faces

Screaming Females Played Asbury Lanes w/ Mitski and ROMP, 4/4/15 (PHOTOS w/ BONUS Backstage Shots)

Marissa Paternoster at Asbury Lanes. Another fantastic shot by Mike Petzinger.

Words by Allyson Dwyer, Pics by Mike Petzinger, Bonus Pics by Gentleman Jim

I could end up being the Wally Pipp of vanity music blogging. The skill with which both Allyson Dwyer and Mike Petzinger have covered for me -- and now add in some extra special coverage from Gentleman Jim Norton -- may have put me out of a job for good. Even if that doesn't happen, we've barely skipped a beat here thanks to the talents of some of the great friends I've made while running CoolDad Music.

This show was a tough one for me to miss. I love Screaming Females and ROMP live, and I was excited at the prospect of finally getting to see Mitski. Family vacations are important, though; and this one's been fun so far. And, honestly, this week's takeover has been about as close to being at these shows for me as I ever thought I'd get.

Enjoy Allyson's recap and Mike's photo highlights. Don't forget to keep scrolling to get the insider, backstage view from Gentleman Jim Norton.

Time for my audience with the Pope.

Screaming Females, Mitski, and ROMP at Asbury Lanes

words by Allyson Dwyer
photos by Mike Petzinger
backstage photos by Jim Norton

Hey! It's me again! At the time of this writing, CoolDad is in Venice riding a gondola with George; and he said he might not ever come back. CoolAllyson Music takeover imminent.

Back here in New Jersey, the Italy of the US, Saturday was perfect. It felt like the real first Spring day of the year. And for me, it was one of those days that is the right mix of lazy and fun, starting with an awesome breakfast, some writing, good coffee, drinks, and a show at my favorite venue, Asbury Lanes.

The line-up was a dream: ROMP, Mitski, and Screaming Females. The show also marked the release of the Asbury Park Feminist Collective's second annual Women's History Month 'zine. Rachel Casey and members worked really hard on it, and I contributed my own little blurb on why Sailor Moon means so much to me. It was really fun to read and even more fun to see the various bands up on stage give a shoutout to the group. Plus, they had free Matzo!

I picked up SIMGE's Chris Rotolo in my slick ride, aka Flareon, and headed over to the Lanes with the intention of buying a lot of vinyl. I assisted sound man Gentleman Jim Norton in selecting some badass female-fronted music for a playlist. Not too long after, New Brunswick-based and CDM fave ROMP took the stage with their joyous pop-punk. I had only heard ROMP's EP, having not yet caught them live. The band has a dedicated following, and the crowd was full of excited sing-alongs and bobbing bodies, everyone wearing stickers that said “ROMP is...” - fill in the blank. They're an incredibly special band, both for their catchy music and their lovable live show.

Next was Mitski, an artist who I had been waiting to see since I saw the show announcement. Mitski's Bury Me At Make Out Creek got much deserved high praise last year and she's recently signed to Don Giovanni. I wasn't the only one excited, she had some very dedicated fans, all in the front of the crowd, singing along passionately word for word. Adding even more excitement was the fact that Mitski's guitarist was Maggie Pakutka, local resident and member of the Feminist Collective.

Mitski was a force on the stage that couldn't be denied. While she spoke softly and kindly about how wonderful the night was, and how much she loved the internet; she would transform through her songs into another being. On tracks such as “Drunk Walk Home,” her voice would erupt like an unexpected volcano; and, as soon as the song ended, her demeanor would soften and she would return to her composed self. Her album is already so intimate; but live, these songs feel even more intimate. In those moments when she lost herself, as she did when she sat down to chant into the caves of her guitar strings, I forgot there were hundreds of people around me. And even afterward, when I went up to buy her album, we talked for a little bit; and she signed the sleeve and took the time to write a personal message. Her thoughtfulness is part of what makes her special.

The crowd began to surge toward the stage for the appearance of Screaming Females. They had packed the house, no different than the last time they came to the Lanes. But, in contrast to last time, this crowd wasn't as responsive, or even as invested in the show. As the band came out and played not just new songs, but classics like “It All Means Nothing” - most people were barely phased. I know people just want to be somewhere on a Saturday night; but if you feel like having a conversation louder than Marissa Paternoster's guitar solos, go to the back room bar. Don't stand next to me at the stage.

But yes, if you need to know, Screaming Females were wonderful. I personally love Rose Mountain, and I love the tight, poppier direction of the production. Many were worried that this was going to take the edges off the roughness that is Screaming Females. But fear not. None of that has changed the band. If anything, these tighter songs have only given them a jumping off point from which to play around and experiment on stage. That is the brilliance of seeing them on this tour.

The band closed out their set with a favorite of mine, “Boss,” and proceeded to extend it with a very long, very intense finale. Marissa passed her guitar into the audience to continue playing, and I saw Chris right there in the midst of it having a blast.

As the set ended, the lights came up, and the band members jumped right off stage into the crowd. Another wonderful night at the Lanes.

Here are some more photos by the talented Mike Petzinger. Keep an eye on Mike Petzinger Photography for more.

And here are some backstage shots of Screaming Females and ROMP by Gentleman Jim Norton.

A Whole Bunch of Bands (Semiotics, ROMP, Dollys, Monterey, Deal Casino) Played The Court Tavern, 1/30/15 (PHOTOS)

Deal Casino closed out a friend-filled night at New Brunswick's Court Tavern

Support Local Music

"I'm impressed."

That was ROMP vocalist / keyboardist Madison Klarer's mom to me just after her daughter's band had finished their set and the last chants of "ROMP IS TIGHT!!" had died away. It's great to have supportive parents. Last night -- like a lot of nights I've experienced over the last couple of years -- showed that it's great to have a support system in general.

You could feel the network of support that each of the bands on last night's bill had built among each other. When bands weren't on stage, their members were front and center, pumping fists and singing along.

Semiotics, whose Banana Stand basement venue has given many bands a welcoming place to play, started things off. After interacting with them via social media for so long, it was nice to finally catch one of their sets. Monterey guitarist Matt DeBenedetti was right up front singing along with the band's wordy pop punk.

ROMP were next and commented a couple of times on how rare it was for them to be playing a "real venue" rather than a basement. The Court Tavern's sound system had them (and everyone else) sounding pretty good; and, while there was a little more room to move around, the vibe was pretty close to the basement where I'd seen them last weekend. Madison's mom was incredulous -- and impressed -- when I told her that things at Paradise Lost may have been a notch higher on the crazy scale.

Guitarist Lucas Dalakian shares a house and a side project with some of the members of Monterey; and, once again, the singalong section up front was heavy with members of other bands.

Dollys were back from kind of a mini hiatus, this time as a trio. Some of my favorite bands are trios, and Dollys' sound didn't suffer by being down a guitar. Guitarist Jeff Lane mentioned that The Court Tavern feels like home for the band.

When Monterey took the stage, Matt DeBenedetti commented, "You know it's been a good night when you don't have a voice for your own set." He and the rest of the band managed, though, getting reciprocal treatment from everyone they'd been supporting throughout the evening.

Finally, Deal Casino started their closing set just after 12. The Asbury Park band have just as many fans in New Brunswick it seems. I'm more amazed every time I see this band whip the crowd into a frenzy. Lead singer Joe P, as he introduced "Hurricane," said, "This song is about those times when a bunch of people stay to watch you at 1AM at The Court Tavern, because sometimes that's all you have."

I see it here in Asbury Park all the time, and last night I saw it in New Brunswick. Bands, friends, family out there for each other, supporting each other in what they're doing and having a genuinely fantastic time. Not just a great time at a good show, but a great time sharing the experience with their support system.

Here are some photo highlights. You can view, grab, whatever the rest in the Flickr galleries.

California X, ROMP, Casual, American Lions Played Paradise Lost, 1/24/15

MA's California X finished their tour at Paradise Lost last night.

I Did the Basement Thing

I had the best time last night.

My complaining over the last week or so has been well-documented here. I've been kind of under the weather -- just enough to be annoying, but not enough to keep me laid up at home. I'd been looking forward to this show at Paradise Lost in New Brunswick since I got the invite a few weeks ago; but, when the day came, I wavered.

"It's all gross and snowy out. I'm gonna see ROMP next week, and I'm gonna see California X two weeks from now in Brooklyn."

I sucked it up, though. Went and grabbed Chris from Speak Into My Good Eye, and we drove up to Hub City together.

Paradise Lost is a dark, low-ceilinged basement somewhere in New Brunswick. Bands perform at one end, and the "green room" area is at the other, behind the furnace. Did I mention that the ceiling is super low?

New Brunswick's American Lions started things off with a wild set of pop punk. The tight quarters caused a few cables to get kicked out at points -- something that would happen throughout the night. It didn't slow anyone down. Things were pretty packed out from the beginning.

Casual, the Flemington band I'd seen open for Screaming Females, were next; and they seemed a lot more comfortable playing to the tightly-packed basement crowd than they did standing up on stage, playing to the early arrivals at The Lanes. I liked what I heard both times and put their self-titled cassette on again when I got home.

Chris and I decided to make our way forward for California X, a band whose latest LP came out on Don Giovanni on my birthday and who Chris and I have been enjoying since their self-titled debut two years ago. We slotted ourselves in at stage left, just next to the stairs. It was way too dark and crowded for any significant picture taking, but I think I managed a few shots of California X that capture the feel of the night.

For the band's part, they played a great set with all of the fuzz and riffage anyone could want; and it was kind of amazing to see them in that environment. I'll have the experience in the back of my mind during their set at The Knitting Factory on February 7th so that I can compare.

ROMP were just back from tour. Singer / keyboardist Madison Klarer had "won" a poll conducted by the band, receiving the most votes as the band member who would wear a bike helmet for the entire set. The helmet butted up against the ceiling joists a few times, but she was a trooper.

The audience turned out in force to welcome ROMP home and screamed along with every song, causing Klarer to stop a few times and declare her amazement. Picture-taking was out as our little area filled up with friends and fans of the band making any kind of movement extremely difficult. Guitarist Lucas Dalakian pogo'd throughout the set, stopping once to take a selfie with the section of the crowd on his side of the performance area.

Again, it will be interesting to see what the vibe is like when ROMP play the Court Tavern next week with Monterey, Semiotics, Deal Casino, and Dollys. The Court Tavern is in their hometown and "basement-y," but there's definitely more room to move around. I feel like the wild expressions of love and adoration may be a little bit less up-close and personal. We'll see.

There were definitely moments last night, as I wheezed and coughed in the tight space, when I wondered about my choice to head out to the show. But, by the time it was all over, I was feeling pretty good. As we left, I heard someone say, "Wow. That was the biggest, wildest show we've had here in a while."

I'm glad I didn't miss it.

Here are some pics of the set by California X. The rest are at Flickr.

Watch This Video from ROMP, and Then Tell Me There Isn't Something Weird Going On

"Drive"

OK. I think this is weird.

I just sat down to make sure that the weekend listings are ready to go for tomorrow (and to have a drink or two). Usually, I don't do this until Thursday morning (no drinks) because, well, I procrastinate. Tomorrow, though, I have to drive to Virginia for the day.

I've been a little down about this having to drive to Virginia thing because I'd been planning to go to Brooklyn on Thursday night to catch a show. On the bill are Lilith Velkor (who are on Starcleaner Records, the label run by some of our best buds, Shellshag), NJ's Osaka, Dead Tenants, and our friends and CoolDad Music contributors, ROMP. I'm pretty sure I won't be back in time to make it to Brooklyn for a show and that, even if I am, 8 hours of driving and several hours of meetings will have drained me.

So I'm thinking about all this driving I'm gonna be doing, and I'm thinking about how I'm not gonna get to see ROMP; and what happens? ROMP release a video for Sorry, Not Sorry track "Drive."

I know, right?

OK. You may not think it's weird.

The song is the opening track to ROMP's debut EP, and it's really a great driving song. The video features lots of driving, and it made me think about what I'll be doing tomorrow.

Oh, and that show I'll probably miss is the kickoff for ROMP's BURRITOUR. Check out the video and the rest of ROMP's dates below.

Guest List: ROMP's Top 10 Tightest Things of 2014

ROMP at The Saint in November.

ROMP Is Tight

"Tight" can mean a lot of things slangily: emotionally close (Joe and I are tight), cheap or stingy (Lend me a dollar, man. Don't be so tight.), drunk (I don't know. I think you were a little tight when you called me last night.).

In the context of New Brunswick band ROMP (twitter.com/rompistight, facebook.com/rompistight, rompistight.bandcamp.com), though, I think we'll go with "very good, excellent, cool, awesome."

OK. Maybe drunk, but I don't know them well enough to say.

What I can say is that ROMP and their 2014 EP, Sorry, Not Sorry, are two of my favorite discoveries of 2014. They're a punk pop (pop punk?) foursome fully committed to DIY and to playing every basement in New Brunswick. They're tight. So tight, in fact, that Texas cassette imprint, Funeral Sounds, is putting out Sorry, Not Sorry as a split with the Red Hands EP from Belmar's Toy Cars.

Being experts in tightness (and branding, obviously), ROMP give us the definitive list of Top 10 Tightest (as in coolest, most excellent, most awesome... ...drunkest?) Things of 2014.

You can catch ROMP tomorrow, Christmas Eve Eve, just over the border in Warwick, NY, when they play "Bands, Billiards, and Booze" with Pigeon and Books. at Village Billiards.

Top 10 Tightest Things of 2014

by ROMP

Tightest Music Video: Pup, "Reservoir"



Pup have been on their game with music videos. Every single one they have put out has been awesome. This one in particular is especially great because of all of the action and adrenaline. It’s pretty dope when that cymbal goes through his chest. Check it out. Check out all their music videos. Fall in love with Pup.

Tightest Food: Cinco de Mayo (New Brunswick)



Where else can you get a burrito the size of your forearm for 6 bucks? This is a must hit spot in New Brunswick, especially since it’s open late. They even serve cactus and have free chips. Please take advantage of the BYOB policy. Magic Hat #9 is recommended. We wrote a song about this place. Just saying.

Tightest Song: Girlpool, "Jane"



First of all, this entire album is amazing. But this song in particular is one of my favorites. It could be because I just love hearing about girls not taking shit from anyone, especially men. Jane sounds like a rad chick and I would definitely be her friend if she were real. Aside from that, the high pitched screaming and funky guitar parts are irresistible. I could listen to this song ten times in a row and still want to hear it again.

Tightest Artist: Professor Caveman

This kid is ridiculous. He oozes pure creative energy and we are soaked. Just look at this shirt he made. Have you seen his guitar?

He also happened to do the art on our tape release with Toy Cars on Funeral Sounds. If you get a chance, you should peep his new EP too because he’s one of our favorite musicians as well.

Tightest YouTube Video: Reggae Shark



Ok, If you listen to this every morning when you wake up, we assure you that your life will be better. Reggae Shark is real.

Tightest Venue: Your Unfinished Basement

Madison Square Garden, PNC Arts Center, Starland Ballroom: All dope places! But can you share a 30 of PBR with the crowd at these venues? Can you play a guitar solo leaning on a hot water heater while getting punched in the ear? Can you get in for free if you tell the door-bro you’re super poor and give him a hit of your funny cigarette? We’ll choose the basement, because the basement has chosen us.

Any pic from here is great. Jason Renna is the photographer:

Tightest Fight



Andy Rydell definitely had it coming. How is he going to wear those name brand circus clothes and not expect to get his lights knocked out? If you are into high school brawls, this is your vid.

Tightest Guitar Pedal: Electro Harmonix Soul Food

Ok Luke our bassist recommended this thing to me and the price had me like, “nah this thing sucks” but for real I can never find a reason to turn this overdrive off. It’s a clone of the Klon Centaur for like 1/bazillionth of the price. If you play light you can get loud cleans, if you play heavy you can get some real dirty nasty. It can do anything from clean boost, to treble boost, to just straight up dirt. Get in there.

Tightest Album: Makthaverskan, II



This album was the soundtrack to my winter. I had it on constant repeat. The lyrics and spinny melodies were the perfect combination to get me addicted. I just picked up this record at Princeton Record Exchange (favorite hang spot). When I saw that it was in there, I was so excited and surprised because they are an international band; but I guess it makes sense because they did a US release of this album with Run For Cover this year. Nevertheless, I bought it in a heartbeat. I’m hoping they come to the states this year. I’d probably sell my left arm to go to that show.

Tightest Illuminati Propaganda Examination of a Female Fronted Twee Band: "Frankie Cosmos Reptilian Proof"



Reptilians are real. And Frankie is definitely one of them.  If you don’t believe this, I feel sorry for you *heavy breathing*. Everyone knows ROMP is anti-Illuminati, so this was eye-opening for us.

PS we love you Frankie :) (even if you are a lizard)

NJ EPs from The Off White, ROMP, Blithedale Romance

NJ EP Roundup

Going through the inboxes of my brain and my Gmail account reminded me that there have been a few EP releases from NJ bands in the last month or so that I found pretty interesting. The three I'm listing out here are all different from one another and showcase a few strains of what's going on in New Jersey rock music.

The Off White, The Off White EP

The Off White are a five-piece from Long Beach Island who have been making some incursions northward with recent shows at The Brighton Bar, APYC, and an appearance at CBGB fest. They even have some more local shows coming up on November 26th and December 5th at Red Bank Rehearsal Studios. The Off White recently signed with Asbury Park's Little Dickman Records who released this four-song EP.

The collection consists of four tracks firmly planted in the garage / psych rock of bands like The Black Lips. They range from the surfy and easygoing "Let's All Move to Mexico" to the chugging "Jaguar Jay Shot the DEA." Guitars, reverb, sneeringly snotty vocals, and shambling group singalongs: they're all there, and they make for a fun four-song ride.



ROMP, Sorry, Not Sorry

ROMP caught my attention last week with the early release of "Portrait" from this, their first EP. I felt like they brought kind of a late-80s, early-90s alt pop sound to the table (think The Primitives or The Cranberries), blending it with some more modern and edgy guitar sounds.

Sorry, Not Sorry more than delivers on the promise of that first single. Second track, "If Your Head Gets Any Bigger You'll Float Away," even shows that the band are capable of some fast-paced rocking out. Madison Klarer's powerful yet still conversational vocals are one of ROMP's defining characteristics, but everything works together to produce a sound that I think could take the trio beyond the basements of New Brunswick sooner or later.



The Blithedale Romance, Wanderer

The Blithedale Romance are another New Brunswick band. The quartet comes down on the harder, heavier end of the alt-rock spectrum. I've never seen the band before, but Wanderer makes me feel like they must deliver a pretty wild live show.

Single "State of Fear" is timely given how we're all meant to be cowering in our homes for fear of catching ebola or being beheaded by ISIS. It features a jagged guitar riff that, combined with Rob Graham's vocals, had me thinking of Electric-era Cult. Wanderer gets more melodic and reveals the band's ear for pop on "Treason." It's occasional nods like that which allow Wanderer to sound dark and aggressive while remaining accessible.



That's a pretty diverse trio of releases. I feel like at least one should fall somewhere in your own personal wheelhouse. If not, there are plenty more sounds coming from New Jersey; and you don't even have to search that hard to find them. I may even mention a few more right here every once in a while to make it easy for you. So watch this space, I guess.

New Single From ROMP

"Portrait"

So here's how things work around here. I have a pile of things I need to get to: ideas for posts, albums / eps to review, a really long interview to edit, shows Thursday and Friday night to attend / shoot / whatever. I was even thinking about organizing things in some kind of spreadsheet or planner -- which is something I've never done for anything in my life -- just to keep it all straight. But I get distracted, sidetracked.

Last week I reviewed a really good EP by Toy Cars. As I said in the write-up, it's a side project by members of Monterey and ROMP. I liked the record a lot, so I went and "liked" Toy Cars, Monterey, and ROMP on Facebook. So, you know. That means I get all of their updates in my newsfeed.

Well, just like 30 or so minutes ago, the new single from New Brunswick's ROMP popped up on my feed. I've listened to it like 5 times already.

"Portrait" starts simply with Lucas Dalakian's (Toy Cars) chimey guitar. Lead singer Madison Klarer laments the loss she feels following a break-up. The song then swells atop the thunderous rhythm section of Mitch Gollub (drums) and Jenny Diaz (bass). It reaches early 90's indie pop proportions (I thought of the pre-"Zombie" Cranberries more than a couple of times.) with it's chorus of "I don't wanna be anyone's anything. I don't wanna be anyone's anything anymore."

The band's EP Sorry Not Sorry is due next week, and "Portrait" is a wonderful appetizer and a more than worthwhile distraction.

As much as I try to be a site that tries to cover "newsworthy" shows or releases, I'm really still just a guy that loves being amazed by music. Sorry if you're waiting to see something specific up here. I promise I'll get to it. I've just got to play this song one more time.